


Getting Closer to the Edge

by Dzuljeta



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fear, Fluff, Kissing, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic, Revelations, Romance, Snogging, Telepathy, Thunder and Lightning, Thunderstorms, Time Lady Rose, Time Lords and Ladies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2019-07-11 05:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15966092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dzuljeta/pseuds/Dzuljeta
Summary: Rose and thunderstorms don't get along well...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BBC owns everything.
> 
> (I won't be back home (read: to limitless wi-fi) until Sunday evening, which is why my update(s) are either non-existent or... stories not posted before )

**Getting Closer to the Edge**

**1.**

This was never supposed to happen, at least Rose had been convinced it won’t. 

The Doctor, the  _ previous  _ one, the one before the chatty bloke the Time Lord has become, he has assured her some tiny harmless alteration to the way her brain reacted to thunderstorms could and has been reached, yet there haven’t been any chances for them to test the theory before his sudden regeneration took place.

Rose Tyler came up to the Doctor in the middle of the night, looking for consolation. She did not remind him of his previous self’s assurances.

“Doctor. I’m sorry to intrude, It's starting and I can't be alone right now or I might-”

The Doctor, usually not sleeping by this time anyway, looked at Rose worriedly, not taking it seriously right away. “How could my presence nearby help you?”

“Even if you could stop me from seeing -or hearing it, I will  _ know!  _ I, I can't…”

“It’s only some summer storm, Rose! Surely, you can't still be afraid of thunder and lightning?” 

Rose burst out in tears, having heard the sound of distant thunder and beginning to tremble with fright. “I thought you would understand, like the -  the previous you had-” 

“The  _ previous me,  _ as you call him, me-l He has been much better in restraining himself when it came to having to calm you down, Rose. I'm afraid I would be nowhere as capable to remain reasonable and cold-headed-”

“I don’t… I don’t care, just… Do something! Ah!”

The spark of lightning and the loud growl of thunder just after have made her shake.

Terrfied of whatever might happen, the Doctor got off the bed and came to Rose’s side. “I know for certain astraphobia is not the case with you, Rose. It’s something else,” he stated.

“You think you know what it is,” she guessed. “Think I have lied to you? Am constantly lying to you when a thunderstorm happens?”

The Doctor didn’t know what to say to it. “Well, no-”

“You hate the fact I keep coming to you during the times when I’m terrified my fears might end up being true after all and you might die-”

“Regenerate? I don’t intend to, not any time soon, don’t worry, Rose,” he tried to calm her down, but his words were unconvincing.

The girl shook her head, the thunderstorm apparently only growing stronger and approaching, the times between strikes of lightning and roars of thunder practically non-existent.

“That’s it. It’s likely we are going to die and you’re doing nothing!”

The Doctor exhaled. “Say that again and I’ll get both of us out there,” he threatened.

Rose’s reaction was unexpected, only the Time Lord’s close presence keeping her inner panic fits to a minimum. “You don’t believe me, I understand. Why should you?”

The Doctor blinked at Rose, suddenly at a loss. He wanted to help her, more than anything. “It has nothing to do with believing, Rose. I have already explained to you why I can’t.”

The girl exhaled, frustrated. “I have only come to you looking for understanding, maybe some psychological support, nothing else! In fact, I’m returning to my chamber right now,” she said, not noticing her face was completely white all of a sudden. The person she trusted most of all, he doubted in her.

The reason why the Doctor has stopped Rose from leaving his room was not the terrifying colourlessness on her face. Not even the tears she has visibly been trying to keep from falling whenever she could think clearly again after yet another lightning strike and the sound of thunder following it. 

It was the sound of her voice and the broken look in her eyes that has assured the Doctor this was not the right time to let her leave, even if only for her room.

“Don’t go, Rose. I think it’s better for you to stay here with me, at least until the storm passes,” he suggested, understanding he’d rather have the girl in the same room, just in case her unnaturally violent dread of this occurrence had any side-effects the alien knew he would need to take care of.

That was why the previous version of himself has thought the best way of keeping Rose’s mind off the ongoing thunderstorm was sharing a bed with her. Even if nothing has ever happened between them, merely holding hands has seemingly had a soothing effect on her during thunderstorms.

However, the Doctor knew just how hard it might hit him. Rose, his brilliant companion, she was so-

It seemed she was aware of his uncertainties. “Thank you, Doctor, but I wouldn’t want to-”

_ You already have.  _ “Just until the storm passes,” he reminded her. “What wouldn’t I do for you, Rose Tyler…”

Rose sighed. “Just know, you don’t really have to do anything,” she assured him.

The Doctor shrugged. “All I want is to make you feel better, Rose,” he breathed into her, realising stronger than ever this has been it. His only chance to tell her.

“I’m sorry, Doctor. I can’t hear a thing you say over this noise and-

The noise Rose was having in mind was the mixture between the incessant thunder and some unrecognisable mixture of sounds now heard aboard. Likely something the old girl has come up with on a whim.

_ Why are you doing this?  _ The Time Lord was upset. What about Rose’s and his quiet time together?

The following moment the TARDIS has grown quiet, and he understood.

The storm outside was raging. Rose was horrified beyond reason.

The Doctor pulled her into a hug. “I’m here. The TARDIS is the safest place in the galaxy.”

“Tell me you’re not going to leave me,” Rose breathed.

“I promise,” the Doctor assured her. “Meeting you is the best thing that has ever happened to me, Rose,” he spoke honestly. 

The girl inhaled, giving him her sweetest tongue-touched smile. However, before she could say anything, the Doctor pressed his lips to hers.

Rose was almost too stunned to respond to his cautious kiss right away. However, even if she thought she knew the reason of this gesture, the companion could only accept, welcome and deepen the kiss, because she knew that for her, there was no other way.

  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Monday, but I'm not returning home for a couple of days still... :(

**Previously…**

 

_ Rose was almost too stunned to respond to his cautious kiss right away. However, even if she thought she knew the reason of this gesture, the companion could only accept, welcome and deepen the kiss, because she knew that for her, there was no other way. _

* * *

 

**Getting Closer to the Edge**

**2.**

 

“I’m sorry,” a quiet apology was all that has escaped their lips practically at the same time. This outburst of suppressed feelings has been something incomparable, something incredible and… blissful.

The Doctor smiled at Rose softly, his arms still around her. “You should never be sorry for this.”

“Neither should you,” she shrugged. “I still think I shouldn’t have-”

“Do you regret it?” The Time Lord asked her quietly, hoping Rose could hear him over the unusually wild sounds of storm outside.

“No. I don’t think I ever could…”

The Doctor beamed at her. “This makes two of us, Rose.” 

She nodded, but it was enough to look at the girl to see she was unable to fully appreciate their time together, not while the thunder and lightning outside were still making her incredibly tense and allowing her to think of various dreadful scenarios.

“Rose…” The Doctor breathed, worried about her, usually the bravest person around. He knew and remembered her occassional panic attacks whenever a thunderstorm came, but it seemed that those were only growing more and more intense every time. 

Tonight, he discovered a kiss, a passionate one even more so, could make her forget her fears, at least for a short while. If only Rose wanted it, the alien was ready to kiss her whenever.

Another thing, one nowhere less worrying, was that the Time Lord understood he was determined to do whatever to make Rose’s life as pleasant as possible. If that meant he would need to avoid some places or times just to be far from the danger of facing thunder and lightning…

“I don’t know what to do,” the Doctor admitted. “Should I try calming your fear down the way my other self has?”

Rose smiled at him knowingly. “Are you sure it won’t put your decency into danger, now that we-”

The alien shrugged. “I’m not sure,” he beamed at her. “Having you so close makes me-”

“As long as it helps,” Rose breathed, terrified anew. “Why won’t it  _ stop _ ?”

“This should help,” the Doctor kissed her softly, not surprised about Rose’s immediate reaction and her very successful ability to turn an innocent kiss into a passionate one.  _ As long as it helps,  _ he told himself, feeling the girl’s negative emotions evaporating more and more every passing moment. 

If only his own deep feelings towards Rose were so easy to control…

“Doctor,” Rose grinned at him, excited. “I think your kisses might become the most professionally…  _ exquisite _ snogs I have ever received, given time.”

The Time Lord looked at her incredulously, hopeful. “Are you implying you intend to keep kissing me?”

“ _ You  _ are supposed to keep kissing me, Doctor. I am here to turn your kisses into something else. To improve them, if you like.”

“Sounds fair,” the alien agreed. There was only one person who was allowed to tease him about or make fun of his not always fully mastered skills. Even if he was quite certain his snogging skills have always been above average.

There hasn’t been any more time left for playful teasing. It was likely the thunderstorm was going to roam outside freely during the entire night. Rose was terrified, white as a sheet of paper and afraid to move a millimetre away from the Doctor.

“What if you needed to go to the loo, Rose? Surely, you can’t imagine it’s acceptable for me to accompany you wherever?”

“You usually do,” she shrugged. “Unless you want me to die of fright, Doctor-”

“Oh, all right,” he nodded, amused. It wouldn’t have been the first time for them, anyway. “I have already told you I-”

The small smile on Rose’s face grew. “I know. But would you be ready to keep my mind off this storm for as long as it lasts?”

He nodded. “ Either that or-”

“Or?”

“We might need to use the familiar tactics, after all.”

Rose beamed at him, almost relieved about the suggestion. “Please.” She was too frightened to think clearly, only remembering the times when sharing a bed with the Doctor, the kind and caring side of the previous regeneration of him she had got to know, has worked miraculously.

“What about the dangers? The risks?” The Time Lord wanted to know if Rose was aware of what  _ could  _ happen. This version of him has been more open, more sensitive to touch, more  _ feeling  _ than any other of his previous selves. Now that he has learnt Rose was welcoming and more or less encouraging his kisses, everything was supposed to become much easier… However, everything has only become much, much harder.

The Doctor was no longer certain about anything.

No, that wasn’t entirely true. The Gallifreyan knew losing Rose would mean the end to anything he has ever believed in.

Even if their, well… relationship was likely never going to go past sharing rare kisses-

“Rose.”

“Hm?” The girl was afraid she has done something wrong. Clearly, she understood this persistent wish to have the Doctor close to her at all times wasn’t acceptable, but she has had an obvious reason to justify herself. This situation, this unexpected, unwanted, dreadful thunderstorm has changed everything.

“Are you ready for it? Really?” The Doctor has given her the question yet again.

Rose exhaled, rolling her eyes. “The overprotective previous version of you has only given me the question  _ once.  _ Trust me, once is enough. Besides, I have had enough experience with blokes unable to keep their hands to themselves. I’d know how to stop you!”

The Doctor gave her a dubious smile. “Even with lightning bolts and strikes of thunder outside?”

Rose shook her head, breathing out a  _ no _ .

“It’s not fair, not fair at all,” the Time Lord agreed with her unuttered words. “Just when-”

“Just when you have finally dared to make a move, Doctor? You shouldn’t  have waited for this long,” Rose chastised him softly, allowing the Time Lord to make her comfortable atop the soft covers on his bed. 

This time, she could almost feel tension building up inside him, their connected hands seemingly only making it worse. Rose giggled. “Who is the one afraid now, Doctor?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Previously...**

_ This time, she could almost feel tension building up inside him, their connected hands seemingly only making it worse. Rose giggled. “Who is the one afraid now, Doctor?” _

* * *

 

 

**Getting Closer to the Edge**

**3.**

The Doctor grimaced. “It’s not easy for me, you understand, Rose. I am nowhere as… reserved as-” 

“Oh, I can see that,” Rose smiled at him sweetly. “I love it.”

“You do?” The Time Lord inhaled.  _ Does she mean she wouldn’t have objected if I had-  _ The question was directed at the old girl.

“Don’t be daft,” she spoke quietly. “I’d have run away from you right away if you tried. At least at the beginning of our journeys.”

The Doctor blinked at her. He thought he was going crazy, or maybe Rose’s close presence has truly been affecting him in the strangest of ways.   _ What? Why? How? _

“It seems your other self’s efforts to alter my mind might have-”

The Time Lord shook his head. “No! I’d have remembered doing something including a risk of altering your  _ species _ , Rose! I’d have warned you beforehand, if I knew- no, I’d  _ never  _ have attempted this on you!” He was trying to keep his calm. After all, the kisses they shared did not show  _ any  _ changes in her physiology… Maybe all that’s happened was the TARDIS teaching her some basics of telepathic communication? Surely, that must be it. He exhaled, not truly certain if it has been a sigh of relief or one of disappointment.

The thunderstorm was still raging outside and Rose was trembling with dread, almost forgetting the Doctor was there to keep her terror at bay.

Meanwhile, the Gallifreyan was worried about other things, holding Rose’s hand firmer.

“I’m sorry,” Rose muttered. “I don’t think your inexplicable flood of wild emotions is helping me. Maybe you’re right and this hasn’t been a good idea in the first place?”

He shook his head, ashamed. “That’s not it. _ I _ am sorry. I don’t know whatever’s happened to me. I should have known the TARDIS must have given you some lessons in telepathy.”

Rose exhaled. The old girl has asked her to allow the Doctor to come to the realisation himself, even if it took him some sleepless nights…

However, hiding her new nature from him has never been pleasant. When he has kissed her for the first time tonight, Rose has barely succeeded in dimming the amount of the self-explicatory things only known to Time Lords and Ladies when snogging him.  Luckily, the Doctor has been too surprised to pick up on any of these.

“I don’t mind,” she muttered. “All I need is for this thunderstorm to finally be over-”

The alien smiled at her. “If it means having you by my side more often, Miss Tyler, I wouldn’t mind-”

_ You what?!  _ Rose couldn’t help herself, her new Time Lady nature always threatening to show itself.

The Doctor was startled anew, even if he has just decided the TARDIS was the one to blame for Rose knowing how to use telepathy.

He realised hitting such a sensitive topic hasn’t been a good idea.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean-”

Rose shook her head. “It seems to me you did.”

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I-”

“Oh, hush. I’m not sure I can remain calm for much longer. Your apologies don’t exactly help right now, Doctor.”

The Time Lord could think of one thing only he knew could chase away her fears. “If I kissed you right now, Rose, do you think it would help?”

She gulped, not sure she was ready to play her role of someone she used to be for much longer. But the terrifying sight and noise outside has decided for her. “It can’t hurt,” Rose muttered, realising she was already craving for his lips on hers. “Just… Let’s get off the bed first,” she suggested.

“Are you afraid something  _ indecent  _ might happen between us otherwise?” The Doctor teased her.

Rose rolled her eyes at him. “Do you really want to hear my reply?”

“Please,” he said softly.

“Is a  _ yes  _ or a  _ no  _ the answer you prefer?”

“Something a little more detailed, please?”

Rose inhaled, frustrated. “Something like ‘ _ Yes _ , I have been wanting to shag you for months, actually,’ or ‘ _ No,  _ not until marriage?’

That has worked like a charm. The Doctor was lost for words. Rose refused to look at him. If things continued to progress at such a slow rate, they were likely going to keep their kisses only saved for emergencies, such as this one.

In fact, the likely possibility was only deepening her fears of what was going to happen for them both.

The TARDIS hated this situation. In fact, she was the one responsible for the changes within Rose. She was certain the Doctor and her golden girl were supposed to stay together… the  _ forever  _ bit has only ,required some alterations here and there in Rose’s organism, most of the pain the girl had been put through ascribed to some unheard-of alien illnesses, with the TARDIS usually having  _ just  _ the thing to cure those.

Since the Doctor didn’t doubt in her choices, seeing just how successful the old girl has always been in curing the strangest of ailments, the old girl has been determined to allow him to finally come to the right conclusion by himself. Until now.

The TARDIS understood the amount of pretending, even when sharing a passionate kiss with the Doctor, has become too much for Rose. Rassilon, the girl has already been a Time Lady for weeks and she was still not allowed to disclose her secret, because  _ she,  _ a sentient and clever time and space ship, has forbidden her to!

This was it. She was becoming just as daft as her Time Lord. Taking another second of their well-deserved happiness from the Doctor and his Rose has never been a smart decision to begin with.

_ Tell him _ , the TARDIS encouraged the Time Lady.

_ We’re not talking,  _ Rose pointed out to the old girl bitterly.  _ I think I have overstepped my mark. _

The Doctor turned Rose towards himself. “Funnily, I thought I was the only one with such sentiments,” he muttered, beaming at her.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Previously…**

_ The Doctor turned Rose towards himself. _

_ “Funnily, I thought I was the only one with such sentiments,” he muttered, beaming at her. _

* * *

 

**Getting Closer to the Edge**

**4.**

 

Rose inhaled, trying to think of anything else but the thunderstorm outside and failing. “You talk. I’ll try to survive this,” she breathed.

The Doctor didn’t say anything, leading her back to the bed. “The way your voice and body tremble makes me think you need to let go of something.”

“Say you think I need to let go of my clothes and I’ll kill you,” Rose attempted to joke.

“I wouldn’t dare,” the Doctor assured her with a smirk.

“I’m sure you would, Doctor.”

Rose Tyler understood one thing there and then. He deserved to know. She deserved to experience the life of a Time Lady fully. Maybe then…

“It’s only growing worse, doesn’t it?” The alien asked her quietly.

“Yes,” she trembled, suddenly afraid of every unfamiliar sound. “Could you kiss me again?” The girl almost pleaded. “And then calm me down the usual way?”

“Yes!”

This time, Rose understood it was either opening herself to him fully and thus showing the Doctor her new nature, or-

There was no time to consider this. He kissed her sweetly. Instead of backing away after having realised she was no longer human, the Doctor clung to her. “Am I going out of my mind?”

“No,” she said quietly, her voice barely heard because of the thunder raging outside. “ _ I _ am.”

“Don’t say that!”

“I’m sorry.”

The Doctor smiled. “Don’t be.”

“I am standing here, panicking something must have gone terribly wrong and you are smiling at me?” Rose couldn’t believe he was so calm about it.

“I value every moment spent with you, my Rose. If it means I’d need to calm down your panic attacks whenever a thunderstorm happens, trust me, I’ll be there for you.”

“Do you mean the change of species won’t help me to deal with my fears?”

“I don’t think so, Rose. I’m sorry.”

The girl’s face darkened, her lower lip starting to tremble.

The Time Lord understood his mistake. Taking hopes from anyone has been something he hated doing. This time, the realisation of hurting the woman of his dreams has hit him almost painfully. “My dear. My Rose. I am a fool. I don’t know what I’m saying. Please, forgive me!”

The Time Lady realised her new nature could have its drawbacks together with its good side. It seemed all she could see and hear were endless thunderbolts.

Without another word, she moved away from the Doctor, refusing to look at him. Every spark, every new boom of thunder were making her feel utterly powerless. Especially now, when the Doctor has told her-”

“Rose,” he caught her by the arm,. “Don’t run away!”  _ For your own sake, love. “ _ I swear, I’ll think of something!”

“Just like the previous you had?” She could feel a new wave of panic rising inside her.

The Doctor shook his head. “My previous self had no idea about what was going to happen to you! I used to think the methods successfully employed with humans were going to help, Rose.”

“It’s all- everything’s-” Her eyes were filled with tears. “Nothing can be done.”

_ It can. Come, Rose. Lie down with me. _

“And you do what? Lull me to sleep?” She said dubiously.

_ Tell me you don’t want me to and we’ll deal with this together. _

Rose blinked at him, puzzled.  _ What? _

_ As you are a Time Lady, a lot of things are different. Our sexual desire, for instance, can be put at bay easily. _

The Time Lady rolled her eyes at him. “I am happy not to be curled into a ball with fright, and you are speaking of your, or our supposedly improved abilities to fight lust? How is this even relevant?”

_ Well, in the first place- _

“If you want to somehow ask me if I’d be ready to go all the way with you, go ahead,” she glared at him.  _ Men… _

The colour of the Doctor’s face has changed colour several times.  _ I didn’t say- _

_ The only thing I’m asking of you is to either make the bloody thunderstorm stop - which you cannot do - or to make me less terrified, which- _

Rose could feel some of her teardrops, more likely those of suppressed terror than those of sadness - falling down her face.

The Doctor did what he knew helped and pulled her into a passionate snog without a warning. 

_ Everything’s going to be all right. The thunderstorm is going to pass eventually and- _

Rose backed away from his loving embrace right away, frustrated.

“ _ Eventually _ is not good enough for me and you know it, Doctor. If you can’t help...”

_ I can,  _ he breathed, not sure she could hear him, even if only in her mind.

She blinked at him, both incredulous and hopeful. 

Before Rose could connect the dots, for he knew she would, he led her towards the bed wordlessly.  _ Trust me. _

Rose’s panic was thinking for her, so she didn’t object.  _ I can’t promise this is going to work, my love. _

“Do I have any choice?” She asked quietly, her voice quivering.

_ Yes. You do. Remember, we have all the time in the world,  _ he winked at her.

Rose sighed. “You know what needs to be done. Do it and don’t talk about it any further,” she relented to whatever was waiting for her in advance.

_ I need to enter your mind to make you stop reacting to thunderstorms as wildly. I can’t do it without your permission, Rose! _

The Time Lady was startled for a second, but exhaled and nodded.  _ If something goes wrong, I- _

_ Nothing will,  _ the Doctor assured her with a smile.  _ I know what I’m doing, know what I must do and how to do it. You have nothing to worry about. _

Rose closed her eyes and gave in, trying her best to relax and ignore the dreadful noise outside…

But trying to convince herself she  _ could do it  _ did not mean she actually did.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Previously…**

_Rose closed her eyes and gave in, trying her best to relax and ignore the dreadful noise outside…_

_But trying to convince herself she_ could _do it did not mean she actually did._

* * *

 

**Getting Closer to the Edge**

**5.**

 

Rose could barely breathe, a new wave of terror threatening to take her over any second. The Time Lord knew he had to hurry.

“My dear. My Rose. I am always here with you.” The Doctor understood telling her to calm down with the thunderstorm still going on would be useless. "Whatever you want, just say a word. If you need me to stop-”

"Thank you. Thank you so much,” Rose breathed at him, knowing so much had to be done she didn’t even expect for it to work.

 

Soon enough, the Doctor realised nothing was as simple as he first thought. Rose’s agitated mind was blocking away any of his attempts to enter.

He inhaled. _Please, Rose. I know you can allow me in. Just remove the moving hedgerow so I could enter?_

Rose was too frightened of the thunderstorm to remember allowing him in would mean him knowing her deepest secrets.

The Doctor has barely had a chance to enter before he was hit by an amount of specific memories. Little girl, standing in the rain during a thunderstorm. A girl of about sixteen, doing the same thing, only this time, she was crying. _Since you prefer your drunkard boyfriend to your own mother, get out! This weather is exactly what you deserve!_

Jackie. She knew, must have known of Rose’s fears, and still-

He grabbed her hand tighter. “If you wish, I could call Jackie and ask her about-”

“Mum knows and is sorry. Leave her alone.”

Rose exhaled. _Can anything be done?_

The Doctor smiled at her softly. _With time, yes. Your mother’s lucky she understands her mistake._

The girl shuddered. “What exactly do you mean by this?”

The Time Lord looked at her assuringly. _You know, love. To protect you, I’m ready to do anything, even if it it means making enemies with Jackie Tyler._

Rose breathed out. “Do you know something I don’t?”

The Doctor bit his lip. Could it be her mind has blocked these memories? All for the better, he understood. It was always better to have your mother as a friend.

However, the Doctor was prepared to get into the depth of it. “I hope not,” he smiled.

Rose understood nothing has changed. The bolts and booms of thunder have terrified her just as much.

 _What am I going to do? Assuming your entering my mind hasn’t changed anything?_ Rose couldn’t control the tears rolling down her cheeks.

“All we need to do is wait through this thunderstorm. The moment you’re calmer, we can go through the procedure again, together.”

 _There is something you’re not telling me,_ the Time Lady sighed. _Something which keeps you from dealing with my fear once and for all._

“Just trust me, Rose Tyler. No matter what you do.”

Dealing with someone’s phobia-like fear sometimes meant accidentally killing off some natural self-preservation instincts. As much as the Doctor was ready to never leave Rose’s side, he knew some things could never be controlled.

 _I trust you._ Her quiet words were barely audible inside his mind, but the alien could understand the depth of her feelings for him perfectly well.

 _Me, too,_ he sent her, wanting to express his feelings without employing too many useless words.

The girl inhaled, never truly trusting herself when it came to being reasonable… during this. _Thank you for staying with me,_ Rose said, welcoming his embrace.

_We live together. Travel together. Share our joys and woes alike, Rose. What makes you think I wouldn’t want to help you, no matter the case?_

The companion inhaled. “I… I can’t say. In fact, I think I-” Rose hurried to the closest bathroom, shuttling the door after herself with a bang.

With a sigh, the Time Lord moved away from the bathroom door enough to not be heard. From what he has glimpsed inside Rose’s mind, he’s identified the likely culprit of her fears. Jackie Tyler.

The Doctor knew he only had a couple of minutes.

* * *

 

“What have you done to Rose?!” He attacked Jackie right away.

“What?” She didn’t understand. The Doctor has never called Jackie before.

“I didn’t do anything. _You_ must have done something!”

“I know for sure you have left her on her own during a thunderstorm, outside. More than once.”

“Ah. Yes, these were difficult times. Both for Rose and myself.”

“Were?! Do you understand Rose can barely do anything during a thunderstorm?”

“So? It’s usual for her. You must have seen it, once or twice.”

“You’re her _mother_! You should be more interested in her well-being than this!”

“I am. Why are you calling, anyway? To share your distress? Rose has never liked thunderstorms. That’s just how it is,” Jackie said calmly.

The Doctor realised he shouldn’t have called Jackie in the first place. She couldn’t understand the depth of the problem.

“I must go. Have a terrified person to take care of.”

Rose returned from the bathroom, neither feeling nor looking any better. Even when inside a bathroom, with the tap water running at its full intensity, Rose was sure she could hear the thunder. “Don’t say anything.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “With you here, I can at least feel safe.”

“You should _always_ feel safe here aboard the TARDIS, my Rose. The world around us might break apart, but our favourite vessel - never,” the Doctor assured her.

“Are you sure that’s what worries me?”

He shook his head. _Right now, all we want is for this thunderstorm to finally be over,_ he smiled at her knowingly.

Rose was dubious. “Why would _you_ want it to stop? The more unusual the weather, the more excited you get.”

_Ah. Not when I see how devastated it makes you. Maybe you’d like me to lie down beside you, like before?_

Rose inhaled. “If you think it’s going to help, I don’t see why not.”

Even if both the Doctor and Rose understood the weather was not theirs to control.

 


End file.
